Vellek, Emil

Emil Vellek, 96, of Cedar Rapids, died Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, at Keystone Cedars in Cedar Rapids following a long illness. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, at Lensing Funeral Home, 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City. Burial will follow at Memory Gardens.

Emil was born in Tyndall, S.D., on Nov. 27, 1914, the son of William and Bessie (Bambas) Vellek. He came to Iowa in search of work, staying with the Pazour and George Savatos families in the Cedar Rapids/Solon area. Emil worked in the heat treat department at Link Belt Speeder until his retirement in 1978.

Emil married Hazel Stimmel on Dec. 22, 1951, in Johnson County. Hazel died Feb. 3, 1986, from complications of a stroke. Emil later married Ann Kopp, who died April 27, 2001. He lived in southwest Cedar Rapids before moving to Keystone Cedars in April 2005.

Emil was proud of his Czech heritage and was a generous supporter of the Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids. Over the years he attended Czech language classes and sang with a group of Czech singers at area events. Emil returned to South Dakota every year that his health permitted to attend the annual Czech Days in Tabor. He was an avid collector of Bohemian music and loved the Sunday Morning Czech Party on the radio.

As a young adult, Emil managed and played for a traveling baseball team. After 75 years, letters were found from surrounding South Dakota towns requesting to play against his team. He also enjoyed watching his nephews play high school football in West Branch during the 1950s and 1960s.

Emil was the person many of us can remember as the host of family vacations, a day at the All-Iowa Fair every year, teaching us the game of baseball and the infamous camel rides on his back. He never missed a parade, or turned down a piece of pie or a game of euchre. Emil was an every Sunday dinner guest at the Earl Campion family home north of West Branch, always arriving at noon sharp - not one minute before or after!

Emil is survived by his brother, Robert (Maureen) Vellek of Scottland, S.D.; his sister, Della, and his stepsister, Hattie, both of Tabor, S.D.; his stepson, Gilbert (Becky) Kopp of Cedar Rapids; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Hazel; his second wife, Ann; his brothers, Charlie, Ed, Ray and Leo; and a sister, Helen.

Emil's family would like to thank Iowa Hospice of Cedar Rapids and Keystone Cedars Memory Care Unit for their care and kindness.

Online condolences and memories may be left for the family at under obituaries.